Charities afraid to speak out

A new report has been published by the Independence Panel, a body funded by the Baring Foundation, titled Protecting Independence: the voluntary sector in 2012

The panel identified three dimensions of independence - (1) independence of voice, (2) purpose and (3) action (and the environmental factors and behaviours that need to support them) and found that there are real and present risks in all of those areas which need to be addressed by all concerned – government, private sector, regulators and voluntary organisations themselves.

They say that governments of all political parties have stressed the importance of the voluntary sector. That needs to be more than a soft, unfocused admiration for a Big Society or Third Sector. It has to recognise the sector’s hard edge: its independence, distinctiveness and ability to speak out from experience. Independence is crucial: if the voluntary sector becomes, or is seen to be, simply a delivery arm of the statutory or private sector, or if it loses sight of its core mission, it will lose both public trust and its reason for existing.

They note that in some cases, it appears to have been the case that voluntary organisations that have been awarded contracts in the Work Programme have become less independent - with less ability to negotiate the terms of contracts and unable to guarantee either the quantity or quality of their own contribution to service delivery.

The Panel looked at the factors that impact on independence and identified six significant areas of concern as a consequence:

• Statutory funding models;
• Lack of ability to shape key decisions;
• Blurring of boundaries between the voluntary and other sectors;
• Self-censorship and other challenges to independence of voice;
• Threats to independent governance;
• The need for stronger safeguards.

The Panel plans to deepen the available evidence over the next year through discussion with those parts of the sector that are likely to be particularly affected or where there may be gaps in knowledge. It will also be working with others to identify what action is most likely to strengthen independence, as well as exploring with the academic community ways of improving the evidence base.

Protecting Independence: the voluntary sector in 2012 (pdf file)

Independence Panel